{"id":2054416,"date":"2026-07-21T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-07-20T21:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2054416"},"modified":"2026-07-21T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2026-07-20T21:00:00","slug":"pittsburghs-pickleball-courts-by-sharmistha-ray-are-an-abstract-riot-of-color","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2054416","title":{"rendered":"Pittsburgh\u2019s Pickleball Courts by Sharmistha Ray Are an Abstract Riot of Color"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"entry-content prose-colossal max-w-none\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull is-style-default entry-header is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-fe9cc265 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"colo-post-featured-image wp-block-post-featured-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1500\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/ray-3.jpg\" class=\"attachment-post-thumbnail size-post-thumbnail wp-post-image\" alt=\"a drone view of two of three pickleball courts in downtown Pittsburgh painted with bright geometric, abstract murals\" style=\"object-fit:cover\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Photo by Ross Ribblett. All images courtesy of Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, shared with permission<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<div class=\"wp-block-group post-title is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-0bc941e6 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<h1 class=\"alignfull wp-block-post-title\">Pittsburgh\u2019s Pickleball Courts by Sharmistha Ray Are an Abstract Riot of Color<\/h1>\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull post-meta is-layout-flex wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-post-date\"><time datetime=\"2026-07-21T12:15:36-05:00\">July 21, 2026<\/time><\/div>\n<div class=\"taxonomy-category wp-block-post-terms\"><a class=\"category-art\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/category\/art\/\" rel=\"tag\">Art<\/a><a class=\"category-design\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/category\/design\/\" rel=\"tag\">Design<\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-post-author-name\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/author\/kmothes\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"wp-block-post-author-name__link\">Kate Mothes<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull post-share-group is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-6c531013 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-outermost-social-sharing has-visible-labels has-icon-color is-style-logos-only is-layout-flex wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-is-layout-flex\">\n<li style=\"color: #1c1e0d\" class=\"outermost-social-sharing-link outermost-social-sharing-link-facebook has-crow-color wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link\">\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thisiscolossal.com%2F2026%2F07%2Fsharmistha-ray-geometry-play-color-pickleball-courts-pittsburgh%2F&amp;title=Pittsburgh%27s%20Pickleball%20Courts%20by%20Sharmistha%20Ray%20Are%20an%20Abstract%20Riot%20of%20Color\" aria-label=\"Share\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link-anchor\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link-label \"><br \/>\n\t\t\tShare\t\t<\/span><br \/>\n\t<\/a>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"color: #1c1e0d\" class=\"outermost-social-sharing-link outermost-social-sharing-link-mail has-crow-color wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link\">\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/cdn-cgi\/l\/email-protection#7f400c0a1d151a1c0b422f160b0b0c1d0a0d18175a4d480c5a4d4f2f161c14131a1d1e13135a4d4f3c100a0d0b0c5a4d4f1d065a4d4f2c171e0d12160c0b171e5a4d4f2d1e065a4d4f3e0d1a5a4d4f1e115a4d4f3e1d0c0b0d1e1c0b5a4d4f2d16100b5a4d4f10195a4d4f3c1013100d591e120f441d101b06422f160b0b0c1d0a0d18175a4d480c5a4d4f2f161c14131a1d1e13135a4d4f3c100a0d0b0c5a4d4f1d065a4d4f2c171e0d12160c0b171e5a4d4f2d1e065a4d4f3e0d1a5a4d4f1e115a4d4f3e1d0c0b0d1e1c0b5a4d4f2d16100b5a4d4f10195a4d4f3c1013100d5a4d4f5a3a4d5a474f5a464b5a4d4f170b0b0f0c5a4c3e5a4d395a4d39080808510b17160c160c1c1013100c0c1e13511c10125a4d394d4f4d495a4d394f485a4d390c171e0d12160c0b171e520d1e0652181a10121a0b0d06520f131e06521c1013100d520f161c14131a1d1e1313521c100a0d0b0c520f160b0b0c1d0a0d18175a4d39\" aria-label=\"Email\" class=\"wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link-anchor\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link-label \"><br \/>\n\t\t\tEmail\t\t<\/span><br \/>\n\t<\/a>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><button class=\"simplefavorite-button preset\" data-postid=\"475993\" data-siteid=\"1\" data-groupid=\"1\" data-favoritecount=\"0\"><i class=\"sf-icon-bookmark\"><\/i>Bookmark<\/button>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Across three pickleball courts in central Pittsburgh, <a href=\"https:\/\/sharmistharay.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Sharmistha Ray<\/a> embraces the realm of sport as a canvas for vibrant paintings. <em>Geometry of Play<\/em> comprises large-scale murals that mark the first artist-designed pickleball courts in the country. While we most often associate outdoor murals with walls, the otherwise nondescript 22-by-40-foot area is ripe for interpretation.<\/p>\n<p>Ray translates their vivid, geometric abstractions onto a playable surface, tapping into the sport\u2019s communal nature. The artist has long been interested in themes of belonging, especially through the lenses of queer identity and the inheritance of multiple cultures.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/ray-1.jpg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-475993\" title=\"Photo by Ross Ribblett\" data-rl_title=\"Photo by Ross Ribblett\" data-rl_caption=\"Photo by Ross Ribblett\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/ray-1.jpg\" alt=\"a drone view of three pickleball courts in downtown Pittsburgh painted with bright geometric, abstract murals\" class=\"wp-image-475994\"><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Photo by Ross Ribblett<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>In <em>Geometry of Play, <\/em>target-like spheres, diamonds, stars, and more intersect across the rectangular planes. Two side-by-side courts create a near-square with a compass-like dial shape in the center, which could almost be read as an eye. Confidently contemporary, Ray\u2019s work sits within the continuum of abstraction, nodding to spiritualist painters like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/tags\/hilma-af-klint\">Hilma af Klint<\/a> and the philosophy of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/tags\/bauhaus\">Bauhaus<\/a>, which placed art and design on equal footing.<\/p>\n<p>The work was commissioned as part of Arts Landing, a four-acre civic development project in Pittsburgh\u2019s Cultural District consisting of a multi-use park with a performance space, plenty of tables and seating, and public art. In addition to the courts, the artist also designed a series of pickleball paddles.<\/p>\n<p>Ray is also co-founder of the feminist art collective <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hilmasghost.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Hilma\u2019s Ghost<\/a>, which focuses on spiritualism and abstraction, and you can find more on their <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/sharmistharay\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Instagram<\/a>. You may also enjoy <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/2025\/04\/hilmas-ghost-abstract-futures\/\">the artist\u2019s project<\/a> for the MTA and Lakwena\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/2020\/12\/lakwena-basketball-courts-arkansas\/\">basketball court murals<\/a> in Pine Bluff, Arkansas.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/ray-5.jpg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-475993\" title=\"Photo by Ross Ribblett\" data-rl_title=\"Photo by Ross Ribblett\" data-rl_caption=\"Photo by Ross Ribblett\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1500\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/ray-5.jpg\" alt=\"a drone view of a detail of a pickleball court that has been painted with a bright geometric mural\" class=\"wp-image-476000\"><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Photo by Ross Ribblett<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/ray-6.jpg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-475993\" title=\"Photo by Ross Ribblett\" data-rl_title=\"Photo by Ross Ribblett\" data-rl_caption=\"Photo by Ross Ribblett\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1500\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/ray-6.jpg\" alt=\"a drone view of three pickleball courts in downtown Pittsburgh painted with bright geometric, abstract murals\" class=\"wp-image-476001\"><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Photo by Ross Ribblett<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/ray-7.jpg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-475993\" title=\"Photo by Chris Uhren\" data-rl_title=\"Photo by Chris Uhren\" data-rl_caption=\"Photo by Chris Uhren\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/ray-7.jpg\" alt=\"a detail of a pickleball court that has been painted with a bright geometric mural, with a person walking across it\" class=\"wp-image-475996\"><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Photo by Chris Uhren<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/ray-4.jpg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-475993\" title=\"Photo by Ross Ribblett\" data-rl_title=\"Photo by Ross Ribblett\" data-rl_caption=\"Photo by Ross Ribblett\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1500\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/ray-4.jpg\" alt=\"a drone view of one of three pickleball courts in downtown Pittsburgh painted with bright geometric, abstract murals\" class=\"wp-image-475999\"><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Photo by Ross Ribblett<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/ray-8.jpg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-475993\" title=\"Photo by Chris Uhren\" data-rl_title=\"Photo by Chris Uhren\" data-rl_caption=\"Photo by Chris Uhren\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/ray-8.jpg\" alt=\"a detail of a pickleball court that has been painted with a bright geometric mural\" class=\"wp-image-475997\"><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Photo by Chris Uhren<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<aside class=\"after-entry\" role=\"complementary\" aria-label=\"After Entry\">\n<section id=\"block-16\" class=\"widget widget_block widget_text\">\n<p><mark 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All images courtesy of Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, shared with permission Pittsburgh\u2019s Pickleball Courts by Sharmistha Ray Are an Abstract Riot of Color July 21, 2026 ArtDesign Kate Mothes Share Email Bookmark Across three pickleball courts in central Pittsburgh, Sharmistha Ray embraces the realm of sport as a canvas for vibrant paintings. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[226,270],"class_list":["post-2054416","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-crawlmanager","tag-thisiscolossal-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2054416","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2054416"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2054416\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2054416"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2054416"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2054416"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}